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NOTE THIS IS ON TUESDAY AND ONLINE - this October General Meeting is being held on TUESDAY, October 6th so please set yourself a reminder! 

To some, family records – including diaries, letters, and personal photographs – may be seen as having little genealogical value. Nothing could be further from the truth! Join our featured speaker Steven W. Morrison as he explores how original information from the Oregon Trail can shine new light on undiscovered facts or family relationships. 

Steven W. Morrison has been a professional genealogist since 2006.  He is the past-president of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Olympia Genealogical Society. Quaker records are Steven's area of expertise. He has coordinated several genealogical institute courses on this topic for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and other organizations. Steven is a frequent speaker and author on genealogy research topics.  

Register to attend this presentation via Zoom at https://bit.ly/SIGSOct26. Once you are registered, you will receive an email confirmation with the Zoom link for the meeting. Be sure to add the personal link you receive to your calendar so you can find it and enjoy the meeting!

Join us in-person as we kick off the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society’s 2026/2027 season with an inspiring evening celebrating the craft of family storytelling.

The evening begins with a social gathering from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Connect with fellow enthusiasts, share recent discoveries, and ask questions. New members and guests are invited to attend to learn more about the Society and our upcoming year of programming.

The program begins at 7:00 pm. Earlier this year, SIGS launched a six-week writing workshop designed to help members turn research notes into short, focused family stories. That cohort continued meeting monthly to refine their drafts and encourage one another.

Our workshop leader will open the presentation by sharing a brief overview of how the group formed, how the process worked, and how a dedicated writing community took root. Then, the writers will take the floor to share their own stories. Whether you come for the entertaining family lore or to find inspiration for your own writing projects, join us for a fun and engaging season opener.

The Snohomish Library regularly fields requests for research assistance on property in Snohomish County. Nate Cushman, Snohomish Librarian and Genealogy Research Specialist, will introduce the resources and processes he and his staff use to help their customers.

Our in-person meeting begins with a social hour at 6:30 pm for current and prospective members, and guests, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories, and ask questions. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Online guests are welcome to join at 7:30 at https://bit.ly/SIGSJune26 

Discover the remarkable journey of Cheri Stadler Ryan’s grandparents, who immigrated to the United States, homesteaded in the rugged Montana Badlands, and eventually settled in Alderwood Manor. Cheri will share the stark contrast between their arduous homestead life and raising eight children in the burgeoning community of Alderwood Manor. The talk also covers the early history of the city of Lynnwood.

Ryan is the President of the Lynnwood-Alderwood Manor Heritage Association and Museum in Heritage Park, a member of the City of Lynnwood’s History and Heritage Board, and the city’s official historian. She has also served on the Snohomish County Historic Preservation Board and was on the board of the Sno-Isle Genealogy Society following its move into Heritage Park. With her brother Kevin Stadler, she coauthored the book Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway. She also writes for the heritage association’s newsletter, Alderwood Clippings.

Our in-person meeting begins with a social hour at 6:30 pm for current and prospective members, and guests, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories, and ask questions. Society news including results of our election will begin at 7:15 pm and the presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Online guests are welcome to join beginning at 7:15 at https://bit.ly/SIGSMay26 

We often think family history requires a large, completed volume, but the most enduring legacies are often the stories we tell one thread at a time. Join Corey as he explores the "Tapestry of US" through six personal perspectives of World War II—from a reporter in Honolulu to a child’s memories of rationing. Through these vignettes, Corey will show how "incremental storytelling" can turn small artifacts and even family hearsay into a bridge for the next generation. Whether your research is polished or just beginning, you'll leave inspired to share your family’s unique part of the American story, proving that an unfinished narrative is actually a powerful invitation for others to join the journey.

Our in-person meeting begins with a social hour at 6:30 pm for current and prospective members, and guests, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories, and ask questions. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Online guests are welcome to join at 7:30 at https://bit.ly/SIGSMar26 

Keywords: hybrid, in-person, online, presentation

When Corey Smith set out to document his grandfather's first marriage, the journey seemed straightforward. But the documents he unearthed weren't definitive, and he quickly found himself grappling with conflicting evidence. This challenge sparked a second journey: to find a better way of organizing research, evaluating information, and constructing a solid genealogical proof. Join Corey as he shares his story, including the false starts, surprising discoveries, and breakthroughs that led him to a new set of research techniques. Discover how his missteps can send you down successful new research paths.

Keywords: in person, in-person, partner programs

Genetic genealogy has revolutionized how we break through "brick walls."  In our February meeting, Craign Gowan, a highly regarded genetic genealogy researcher and a long-standing member of the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society, will guide us through the logic of genetic analysis using platform-neutral techniques like Shared Match Analysis and the Leeds Method, helping you learn how to organize matches into identifiable family branches. The presentation will conclude with a Q&A session, so bring your questions! Our in-person meeting begins with a social hour at 6:30 pm for current and prospective members, and guests, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories, and ask questions. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Online guests are welcome to join at 7:30

Keywords: hybrid, zoom, online, in person in-person, group, social

Curious about your family’s roots or hoping to bring your ancestry research to life? This presentation by Brooke Yool, owner of I'm Outta Here Travel, explores how travel can deepen your connection to your heritage—whether that means walking the streets your ancestors once knew, visiting key archives abroad, or immersing yourself in cultural traditions that shaped your family’s story. Brooke, a Lynnwood resident for over 20 years, is passionate about helping people enrich their lives through travel—and she especially loves the stories that unfold from a truly memorable trip. Join us to learn how exploring the past can enrich your present adventures. Our in-person meeting begins with a social hour at 6:30 pm for current and prospective members, and guests, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories, and ask questions. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Online guests are welcome to join at 7:30 at https://bit.ly/SIGSJan26.

Keywords: hybrid, online, in person, in-person

Dr. Alicia Valentino of the Edmonds College Anthropology Department will be our featured speaker. Dr Valentino will trace the history of Japanese Gulch in Mukilteo, from local Tribes to modern trails. She will share her insights from the college's archaeological dig at the gulch, where buried below the surface are remnants of the Japanese immigrant mill-working community that thrived for 30 years. Our in-person meeting begins with a social hour at 6:30 pm for current and prospective members, and guests, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories, and ask questions. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm.  Online guests are welcome to join at 7:30.

We welcome speakers from the Daughters of the American Revolution to our October general meeting.  We begin with a social hour at 6:30 pm and presentation begins at 7:30 pm.  This is an in-person only meeting and no live stream or recording will be available. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a nonprofit, non-political volunteer women's service organization founded in 1890 dedicated to historic preservation, education, and to preserving the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence.  Today DAR members participate in a wide variety of historic preservation projects across the US to protect landmarks, documents and family stories that might otherwise be lost, ensuring our local history is passed on to future generations and to inspire curiosity about our shared past.  DAR members work to support our schools and our active-duty military and veterans.  With nearly 190,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the world, the DAR encourages and celebrates a diverse membership. Lisa Kelly, Cecilia Ives and Vicki Eubank will speak about the work of the Peter Puget Chapter, Washington State Society Daughters of the American Revolution, and explain what being a member of the DAR has meant to them.  

This season, we'll explore how our personal family histories are integral to the broader American story as we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation.  We kick off the season with a overview of the theme that will run throughout the year.   This evening will begin with an in-person social hour at 6:30 pm, where you can connect with fellow enthusiasts, share stories and ask questions. The main meeting (in-person and online) begins at 7:30 pm with a welcome and short update on Society activities by SIGS President Gabrielle Hillgrove. SIGS Vice President and programs coordinator Corey Smith will then introduce the ideas, activities and programs that will weave their way through our 2025-2026 season.  He will demonstrate ideas for connecting family history to our nation’s history with examples from his own family.  Corey will introduce new programs like First Footprints: The American Arrival Story Board and Tapestry Talks that will run throughout the year.  Finally, he will provide a special introduction on how to begin your own family tree chart for new guests and members. The program is scheduled to conclude around 8:30 pm.

Are you curious about your family’s history but unsure where to begin? This presentation offers a quick and effective way to start your family history journey. You will learn how to create a pedigree chart using the first three generations of your family. You will discover the best practices for gathering and recording accurate information, including full names, dates, and places of key life events. Finally, you will learn how to use free research tools at the Library and from other sources to document the life events of your family’s members. By the end of this presentation, you will have the knowledge and tools to confidently embark on your genealogical adventure, tracing your family's path with accuracy and enthusiasm. Presented by Corey Smith of the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society. This presentation is hosted by our partners at the Sno-Isle Library system as part of their 2025 Reads Together program. Registration required. To get more details and register, please visit the Sno-Isle Library page at https://sno-isle.bibliocommons.com/events/67c9de4d5d951f36000c62fe.